HASSETT: SHUTDOWN HIT ECONOMY HARDER THAN EXPECTED Kevin Hassett said Friday that the government shutdown hurt the economy “much worse than expected” and may have caused lasting damage to federal operations. He noted the impact will likely show up in fourth-quarter GDP data but maintained a positive outlook, forecasting up to 4% growth next year. Hassett also criticized the Federal Reserve for cutting rates by only 25 basis points, suggesting the central bank “may have become partisan.” President Donald Trump has repeatedly called for deeper rate cuts.(*Walter Bloomberg)